SLIFE students may arrive having missed years of formal schooling due to migration, displacement, or other circumstances (Massachusetts Department of Education, n.d.). This means they often lack exposure to foundational literacy instruction in any language, such as phonological awareness or print concepts. Unlike peers who can transfer literacy skills from their first language, SLIFE students may need to begin with the very basics of decoding, even as adolescents.

A 2025 systematic review of reading interventions for high school English Learners with disabilities found that programs combining multiple components—such as explicit phonics instruction, vocabulary development, and comprehension strategies—produced the strongest outcomes (Bowman-Perrott et al., 2025). The Pathway Project, a long-term study with linguistically diverse students in grades 6 through 11, echoed these findings, showing steady growth in reading and writing when structured supports were consistently applied (Reynolds, 2021).

One approach that stands out is reciprocal teaching. In this model, teachers explicitly demonstrate how to use four key comprehension strategies: summarizing, questioning, clarifying, and predicting. After modeling, students take turns leading small-group discussions while practicing the strategies themselves. This interactive process helps students monitor their understanding, build vocabulary in context, and think critically about what they read. For English Learners, reciprocal teaching is especially powerful because it combines language practice with comprehension support. As students engage in dialogue about texts, they not only process meaning more deeply but also practice using academic language in authentic ways (Wang & Smith, 2024).

Use Multi-Component, Structured Literacy

• Why it matters: Research shows that decoding and comprehension must develop together. Focusing only on one leaves critical gaps.
• How to do it: Incorporate a mix of phonics, vocabulary, and comprehension activities within the same lesson. For example, start with phonics review, then introduce a short passage that uses the target phonics pattern, highlight key vocabulary, and close with comprehension questions. Keep each part explicit and connected.

Embed Reciprocal Teaching

• Why it matters: Students learn best when they actively use strategies rather than only hearing about them. Reciprocal teaching turns comprehension into a dialogue instead of a test at the end.
• How to do it: Begin by modeling one strategy at a time. For example, show how you summarize a paragraph in just one or two sentences. Then, give students a chance to practice in partners or groups. Over time, let students rotate as “discussion leaders” who guide peers through summarizing, predicting what comes next, asking questions, and clarifying confusing parts. Use sentence stems and anchor charts to support English Learners.

Personalize and Normalize Literacy Instruction

• Why it matters: Students are more motivated when they see themselves reflected in the texts they read. For English Learners, culturally relevant materials affirm identity while building skills.
• How to do it: Select high-interest, diverse texts that tie into students’ backgrounds, experiences, or aspirations. Pair these with foundational skill practice, so students work on decoding and comprehension in meaningful contexts. Encourage students to bring in family stories, music lyrics, or community examples that connect to the reading.

Provide Predictable Routines

• Why it matters: Consistent routines lower the cognitive load, allowing students to focus on new skills instead of figuring out what is expected. For English Learners, predictability reduces stress and increases confidence.
• How to do it: Establish a clear structure for literacy time (e.g., warm-up review, teacher modeling, guided practice, independent practice, reflection). Keep transitions short and signals consistent. For example, always start comprehension work with a partner discussion before moving into writing. Repetition builds confidence and creates space for gradual release of responsibility.

Adolescents who cannot yet read are at risk of falling further behind in every subject. Without direct intervention, the gap widens, and students often disengage from school. However, with structured and explicit support, even students with interrupted learning can make rapid progress (The Reading League, n.d.).

Teachers do not have to choose between decoding and comprehension. Both are essential, and both are possible, even for older learners who are new to literacy in any language.

Citations:

• Bowman-Perrott, L., Boon, R. T., Ewoldt, K. B., Burke, M. D., Eslami, Z., & Mirzaei, A. (2025). Reading interventions to support English Learners with disabilities in high school: A systematic review. Education Sciences, 15(2), 223.
• Massachusetts Department of Education. (n.d.). Students with limited or interrupted formal education (SLIFE): Literature review.
• NASSP. (n.d.). Adolescent literacy.
• Reynolds, D. (2021). Taking stock of 12 years of adolescent literacy research: Pathway Project findings. University of Wisconsin–Stevens Point.
• The Reading League. (n.d.). Adolescent literacy.
• Wang, Y., & Smith, A. (2024). Reciprocal teaching and its impact on adolescent English Learners. Journal of Literacy Research, 56(1), 77–95.